Characterization of orexin input to dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area projecting to the medial prefrontal cortex and shell of nucleus accumbens

Orexin neurons are involved in homeostatic regulatory processes, including arousal and feeding, and provide a major input from the hypothalamus to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain. VTA neurons are a central hub processing reward and motivation and target the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the shell part of nucleus accumbens (NAcs). We investigated whether subpopulations of dopamine (DA) neurons in the VTA projecting either to the mPFC or the medial division of shell part of nucleus accumbens (mNAcs) receive differential input from orexin neurons and whether orexin exerts differential electrophysiological effects upon these cells. VTA neurons projecting to the mPFC or the mNAcs were traced retrogradely by Cav2-Cre virus and identified by expression of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). Immunocytochemical analysis showed that a higher proportion of all orexin-innervated DA neurons projected to the mNAcs (34.5%) than to the mPFC (5.2%). Of all sampled VTA neurons projecting either to the mPFC or mNAcs, the dopaminergic (68.3 vs. 79.6%) and orexin-innervated DA neurons (68.9 vs. 64.4%) represented the major phenotype. Whole-cell current clamp recordings were obtained from fluorescently labeled neurons in slices during baseline periods and bath application of orexin A. Orexin similarly increased the firing rate of VTA dopamine neurons projecting to mNAcs (1.99 ± 0.61 Hz to 2.53 ± 0.72 Hz) and mPFC (0.40 ± 0.22 Hz to 1.45 ± 0.56 Hz). Thus, the hypothalamic orexin system targets mNAcs and to a lesser extent mPFC-projecting dopaminergic neurons of the VTA and exerts facilitatory effects on both clusters of dopamine neurons.

Increasing the efficiency of technological preparation for the production of the manufacture components equipment for the mineral resource complex

An increase of components production for the equipment intended for oil and gas production is a key factor for analyzing existing technological processes and searching for new technological solutions to improve the efficiency of the production process and the quality of components. The article presents a simulation model designed to determine the rational technological processing parameters for the production of the “Centralizer shell” part. The basis for optimizing the working cycle of a production line is synchronization based on the principle of proportionality, which involves equalizing the duration of all technological operations with the rhythm of the production line. Synchronization of technological operations on the production line is carried out by choosing rational cutting parameters for each technological transition (cutting speed, feedrate, number of working passes). The “Centralizer shell” part is made of titanium alloy VT16, which has high strength, corrosion resistance and ductility. For the part under consideration, the permissible values ​​of the cutting parameters were determined based on the calculation of the total processing error, as well as the frequency of replacement of the worn cutting tool. The simulation model described in the article made it possible to increase the efficiency of the production process due to the synchronization of technological operations and the search for rational technological parameters, as well as to improve the manufacturing quality of the “Centralizer shell” part by analyzing the processing error at various parameters of the technological process.